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Construction trades programs in North Carolina

North Carolina has 21 accredited campuses awarding construction credentials. If you finish and work as a construction laborer in North Carolina, expect to start around $31,850–$37,380 and reach a median of $44,720 with experience; the top quarter earn $49,070 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, North Carolina). Graduates of these North Carolina programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $42,229 in their first year, against $27,572 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.

What construction laborers earn in North Carolina

$31,850starting (10th percentile)
$37,380early career (25th)
$44,720median, all experience
$49,070experienced (75th)
$59,970top earners (90th)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 35,620 employed in North Carolina. National median: $47,120.

Campuses in North Carolina, ranked by what their graduates earned

21campuses in North Carolina
684credentials awarded / yr
$42,229median earnings, yr 1 (North Carolina)
$27,572median earnings, yr 1 (U.S.)

Cities: AshevilleCharlotteClintonDobsonFayettevilleJamestownMorgantonRaleighSalisburySanfordShelbySpindaleSpruce PineSylvaTroyWeldonWhitevilleWilkesboroWilmingtonWinston-SalemWinterville

CampusCityTypeGrads / yrEarnings, yr 1Program debtCompletionCost / yr
Wake Technical Community College Raleigh Public 114 $42,229 $12,500 33% not reported
Cape Fear Community College Wilmington Public 116 not reported not reported 35% not reported
Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte Public 65 not reported not reported 31% not reported
Pitt Community College Winterville Public 57 not reported not reported 35% not reported
Fayetteville Technical Community College Fayetteville Public 50 not reported not reported 24% not reported
Wilkes Community College Wilkesboro Public 48 not reported not reported 55% not reported
Central Carolina Community College Sanford Public 36 not reported not reported 43% not reported
Southeastern Community College Whiteville Public 29 not reported not reported 44% not reported
Mayland Community College Spruce Pine Public 27 not reported not reported 46% not reported
Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown Public 23 not reported not reported 31% not reported
Halifax Community College Weldon Public 19 not reported not reported 35% not reported
Isothermal Community College Spindale Public 19 not reported not reported 56% not reported
Southwestern Community College Sylva Public 18 not reported not reported 53% not reported
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Asheville Public 15 not reported not reported 40% not reported
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Salisbury Public 12 not reported not reported 35% not reported
Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem Public 10 not reported not reported 34% not reported
Surry Community College Dobson Public 8 not reported not reported 6.4% not reported
Sampson Community College Clinton Public 7 not reported not reported 57% not reported
Cleveland Community College Shelby Public 6 not reported not reported 32% not reported
Western Piedmont Community College Morganton Public 4 not reported not reported 49% not reported
Montgomery Community College Troy Public 1 not reported not reported 84% not reported

Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.

Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.

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